In-vivo measuring systems are known in the art. Some autonomous capsule like in-vivo devices, which traverse the gastrointestinal (“GI”) system, may include an imaging sensor, or imager, for imaging (e.g., acquiring images of) the interior of the GI system, and a transmitter for transmitting image frames to an external system (e.g., data receiver/recorder). An in-vivo device may include sensors of other types (e.g., pH, pressure and temperature), and/or various types of tools (e.g., micro electro-mechanical system), for example to perform surgical operations in vivo and/or to administer medication in the GI system, for example from a container contained in an in-vivo device. An in-vivo device may be capable of changing a rate at which image frames are acquired).
Some in-vivo devices are configured to transmit image frames (with or without additional sensory data) to an external system (e.g., data receiver/recorder) at some constant frames per second (“FPS”) rate, for example at a rate of four FPS. Other devices may be configured to transmit image frames at a rate that depends on, or is a function of, for example, movement of the in-vivo device. For example, when a device moves slowly, a relatively slow FPS rate may be preferable (e.g., to save battery energy), whereas when a device moves faster, a higher FPS rate may be preferable (e.g., to obtain or maintain a certain rate of frames per unit of intestine's length).
An in-vivo device capable of varying its FPS rate and external systems (e.g., receiver/recorder) capable of transmitting a command to the in-vivo device to change its FPS rate may be said to have an adaptive frame rate (“AFR”) capability. (Typically, a decision regarding movement of an in-vivo device that has an AFR capability is taken externally, for example by an external receiver or recorder, based on, for example, image data or other information that the external system may receive from the in-vivo device.)
While AFR capability of an in-vivo device is beneficial, this capability cannot be used if the external receiver/recorder with which the in-vivo device cooperates does not have AFR capability. It would be beneficial to have an in-vivo device that can exercise AFR even if the external receiver/recorder is AFR-incompatible, and, in general, it would be beneficial to have an in-vivo device that can execute also other movement-dependent commands independently of the external receiver/recorder (e.g., autonomously).